Flour-sifter.



- J. C. ROOT.

FLOUR SIFTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI; I4. 1913.

Pten'ed Feb. 3, 1914.

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JOHN C. ROOT, OF NEWCASTLE, INDIANA.

FLOUR-SIFTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 3,191sl Application filed June 14, 1813. Serial No. 773,785.

Be it known that T, JOHN C. Roo'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newcastle, in the county of Henry and State of indiana., have invented a new and useful lilour-Sifter, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to flour sifters and is more particularly an attachment for bins and other bulk holders.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a sitter which can be operated readily and which has combined therewith an agitator by means of which the contents of thc bulk holder are kept in motion.

A further object is to provide a sifter having no parts rubbing upon the screening or sifting fabric and which will not., therefore, tend to break up foreign substances and force them through the fabric.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the co-mbination and arrangementI of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it beingl understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

ln the accompanying' drawings the preferred forin of the invention has been shown.

in said drawings -Figure 1 is a central vertical section through the bin, a portion thereof being broken away and parts of the sifter being shown in section and parts in elevation. F 2 is a section on line A-B Fig. 1. is an enlarged section on line C-D Fig. 1 F el is an enlarged vertical section through the sifter on the line E-F F 3. d

Referring to the iigures by 'characters 0f reference 1 designates a bin of any desired size and proportions7 said bin being formed with a conical bottom 2 in which is iitted the sifter and agitator constituting the present invention. Ears 8 or the like are extended outwardly from the bottom 2 close to the outlet opening 11 in said bottom and bolted or otherwise secured to these ears or projections are ears 5 extending outwardly from a band 6 which extends upwardly from a main ring 7. This ring has a cross strip S disposed diametrically therein.

Mounted on the ring 7 is a smaller upper ring 9 to which is secured the lower edge of a cylindrical screen 10, said lower edge being bent inwardly and extending under a holding ring l1 preferably L-shaped in cross section. This holding' ring is attached to the upper ring 9 in any suitable manner and reinforcing rods 12 extend upwardly from the holding ring 11 and along the inner side of the screen fabric 10. The upper portions of these rods 12 are soldered or otherwise secured to the inner surface of a conical spreader or cap 13 which is soldered or otherwise secured to the upper' edge of the screen fabric 10, the rods 12 being extended inwardly from their points of attachment to the cap 13 and being connected by a knob 14 or the like located under the cap. Preferably four ears 15 extend radially from the cap 13 near the base thereof, these ears being provided with apertures 16 as shown.

Formed within the holding ring 11 is a diametrically disposed strip 17 having a central opening 1S adapted to receive the threaded end' of a connecting bolt 19. This bolt extends loosely through the center of the strip 8 and also through the center of another dian'ietrically disposed strip 20 carried by a bottom ring 21 which bears upwardly against ring 7. This bolt 19 serves to hold the rings 7, 9 and 21 assembled in proper relation to each other although permitting the rings 9 and 21 to rotate independently of the ring 7.

ln order that the rings 9 and 21 may he caused to rotate together, an arm 22 is eX- tended downwardly from the cross strip 17, this arm being extended through ring 7 and then bent laterally so as to extend radially beyond the sifter, as shown at 23,'this projecting portion. being formed with a knob 2% or the like whereby it can be actuated readily. The projecting portion 283 is preferably seated in a groove in the upper face of the ring 21 so that, when the extension 23 is swung to the right or to the left, ring 21 will be moved therewith as will also the holding ring 11 and the top ring 9. Agitating pins 25 are iiXedly mounted adjacent their centers within the holding ring 11, the outer ends of these pins projecting into the space between band 6 and screen 10 while the inner ends of the pins project into the space surrounded by the retaining ring 11. Agitating wires 26 are soldered or otherwise secured to the walls of the bin or bulk holder llO l close to the top thereof, these agitating devices extending downwardly along the inner surfaces of the walls and thence along the inner surface of the bottom Q where they merge into upwardly extending hooked fingers 2T which fit loosely within the ears or brackets l5, as shown particularly in Fig. l.

It will be apparent that, when the extension 23 is reciprocated, the two rings 9 and il will. be rotated back and forth relative to the ring and, consequently the cylindrical screen lO, its cap l, and all parts connected thereto`v will likewise be moved back and forth within the bottom portion of the bin. As thev agitatinfgrods or wires Q6 are fixedly connected at their upper ends to the walls of the bulk holder or bin, it will be apparent that, during the back and forth rotation of' the cap l, the lower end portions or fingers 2T will be moved back and forth, thus causing the vertically extending porl tions of the rods or wires to swing back and forth relative to the walls of the bin, thus agitating the portion of the material close to the walls and causing it to gravitate freely into the space surrounded by the band rl`he material in this space will be kept in motion by the pins 25 and will be gradually worked through the screen lOI passing outwardly through the ring with the other material which has sifted through the screen. tubular spout 28 may be extended downwardlv from the lofwer ring 2l so as to facilitate the filling of bags and the like.

lt will he noted that by providing a sifter such as herein described, there are no parts adapted to work upon the screen Jfabric l() and, conseouentlyy` there is no danger of foreign substances being pulveriyicd and forced through the screen.

lVhat is claimed is im l. The combination with a bulk holder having a bottom converging downwardly to an outlet opening, of a revoluble screen eX- tending through said opening, means for supporting the screen for rotation, means for rotating the screenr a spreading cap at the upper end of and revoluble with the screen, and an agitating device fixedly connected at its upper end to the bulk holder and at its lower end to the cap, said lower end being shiftable with the cap to move the agitating device relative to the bulk holder.

2. The combination with a. bulk holder having an outlet in the bottom thereof, of a stationary ring, a screen extending through the outlet and above the ring, means for rotating the screen, a` spreading cap closing the upper end of the screen, flexible agitating devices secured at their upper ends to the walls of the bulk holder and movably connected at their lower ends to the cap, said lower ends being shiftable with the cap to swing the agitating devices relative to the walls.

3. The combination with a bulk holder having an opening in the bottom. thereof, of a cylindrical screen extending upwardly through the opening, `said screen being open at its lower end, a cap constituting a closure for the upper end of the screen, means for rotating the screen back and forth to sift material theretlnough, an agitating device secured ixedly at one end to the upper portion. of the bulk holder and movablv connected at its other end. to the 'ap, said lower end being shi'ftable with the screen to swing the agitator relative to the rbulk holder. Y

4. The combination with a bulk holder having an openingin the bottom thereof, of an upstanding cylindrical screen mounted for rotation in the opening, said screen being open at the bottom and closed at the top. an agitating rod secured at its upper end to the upper portion of a wall of the bull' holder, and a hooked finger at the lower end of the said rod and slidably engaging thc closed upper end ofl the screen, said finger being shiftable with the screen to swing the rod, and means for rotating the screen.

The combination with a bulk holder having an opening in the bottom thereof, of a cylindrical screen open at its lower end and mounted for rotation in said openino', means for rotating the screen back and forth to sift material therethrmigh, a conical cap constituting;` a closure for the upper end of the screen, said cap being revoluble with the screen, a bracket outstanding from the cap, an agitating rod secured at one end to one wall of the bulk holder, the lower end of said rod loosely eng ging the bracket.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own, l have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. ROOT.

`Witnesses Orntnnns Boor, Mrs. Bnn'rna ltoo'r.

Copies of this patent may 'be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente, Washington, D. C. 

